Softwarized Edge Intelligence for Advanced IIoT Ecosystems: A Data-Driven Architecture Across the Cloud/Edge Continuum

The evolution of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) systems demands flexible and intelligent architectures capable of addressing low-latency requirements, real-time analytics, and adaptive resource management. In this context, softwarized edge computing emerges as a key enabler, supporting advanced IoT deployments through programmable infrastructures, distributed intelligence, and seamless integration with cloud environments. This paper presents an extended and publicly available proof of concept (PoC) for a softwarized, data-driven architecture designed to operate across the cloud/edge/IoT continuum. The proposed architecture incorporates containerized microservices, open standards, and ML-based inference services to enable runtime decision-making and on-the-fly network reconfiguration based on real-time telemetry from IIoT nodes. Unlike traditional solutions, our approach leverages a modular control plane capable of triggering dynamic adaptations in the system through RESTful communication with a cloud-hosted inference engine, thus enhancing responsiveness and autonomy. We evaluate the system in representative IIoT scenarios involving multi-agent collaboration, showcasing its ability to process data at the edge, minimize latency, and support real-time decision-making. This work contributes to the ongoing efforts toward building advanced IoT ecosystems by bridging conceptual designs and practical implementations, offering a robust foundation for future research and deployment in intelligent, software-defined industrial environments.